Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus.



W. H. REICHARD.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED 1030.14, 1910.

1,099,469, Patented June 9, 1914.

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an s'ra'rns Y PATENT orirron WADE H. REICHARD, OF TROY, NEYV YORK, ASSIGNOR, TO FEDERAL SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

IRAILWAY-TRAFFIO-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 14, 1910.

Patented June 9, 1914:.

Serial No. 587,346.

To (ZZZ wlwm it may concern Be it known that I, WADE H. REIGHARD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 76 Oakwood avenue, in the city of Troy, in the county of ltensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- 'lra'llioControlling Apparatus, of which the following a specification.

My invention relates to railway tra'l'lic controlling apparatus, and more particularly to that class of apparatus which employs electricity as a source of motive power. Heretofore the usual source of supply has been Off continuous current or perhaps more popularly known. direct current.

The object of my invention is to so arrange the apparatus that alternating current may be employed with its attendant advantages and still keep and arrange the parts so that desirable characteristics of direct current operation may be retained, and in fact, arrange the system that alternating current may be employed for operation and direct current employed for indication without sacrificingreliability or safety.

To move the railway switch I employ a series wound motor having two separate field windings to control the direction of rotation of the armature. Inasmuch as it is necessary to change the polarity of a motor armature with respect to its field or vice versa, to secure a change in direction of rotation, it will appear that if I use an alternating current with a series wound motor, both the polarity of the field and that of the armature will change simultaneously and consequently the rotation will be unidirectional for a given relation of armature and field. Therefore it I use two separate field windings, it will be obvious that one field winding in series with the armature may give clockwise rotation and another field winding in series with the same armature may give counter-clockwise rotation. Thus I will be able, by suitably connecting the motor by gearing to the switch rail, to move the switch rail to either one position or the other as I may choose, by selecting the one or the other of the field windings with the armature, by means of suitably arranged wires and switches.

Figure 1 shows a typical layout and wiring diagram of an electrically operated railway switch and its controlling lever. Fig. 2

is a perspective view of the plunger, plunger head and lugs.

I will now refer to Fig. 1 and explain the operation of the devices there shown. On the right is a diagrammatical drawing of one lever, L, in an interlocking machine and on the left a diagrammatical drawing of a switch moving device, controlled by the position of the lever, L. That is, when the lever, L, occupies the position shown the track switch will he set for the straight track, as shown, and when the lever occupies the position, L, the track switch will be set for the turn out to the right. As is well known by those skilled in the art, it is essential that the lever, L, be not permitted to move to its final positions of L or L until the track switch is moved completely over.

I will first explain the devices shown in Fig. l and then show how they operate, when it will be evident that the lever, L, cannot assume the positions L or L unless the track switch previously assumes the corresponding position.

The interlocking machine has a main girder, 10, having two recesses the edges of which are 11 and 152, and 11' and 12'. Under the girder, 10, and attached thereto are two magnets, S and I. The lever, L, is pivoted at 75 to the girder, 10, and attached to L, by the pin, 76, is the slide bar, 5. This slide bar, 5, is adapted to pass transversely over girder, 10, when moved by lever, L. Slide bar, 5, carries two dogs, 6 and 7, adapted to pass up and down through bar, 5. Over bar, 5, and fastened rigidly in place are two rods, 8 and 9. The function of these rods is to push the dogs, 7 and 6, downward when bar, 5, is actuated by lever, L. It will be noted that the V-shaped notches in the dogs, 7 and 6, are engaged by springs, 7 and 6 so that when the dogs are pushed upward or downward the springs, 7 and 6, will yield to the movement, but engage in the notches to hold the dogs, 7 and 6, either upward or downward. Through the bar, 5, and extending on both sides of it are the pins, 1, 2, 3, 4, the purpose oi which will appear presently.

The controller, C, is suitably mounted and connected to the lever, L. The controller, C, consists of the rod, 15, carrying, but electrically insulated from the wipers, 16 and 17. Wiper, 1G, is adapted to engage and pass be tween contacts, 22 and 25, and 23 and 33,

troller, C, will move to a position corresp onding with it.

Gr, represents a source of alternating cur- 1 rent having a suitable frequency and electromotive force. G, supplies current to the bus bars, B and B, which extend through out the interlocking machine, at the terminals, 1'23 and 122.

Magnet, S, has two windings. One winding has few turns of wire of large cross section adapted to allow current of sutficient strength for moving a switch to pass and at the same time lift its plunger, 90. This winding is marked, L. Res, being an abbreviation for low resistance. The other wind ing consists of a great number of turns of wire of small cross section adapted to pass sufiicient current to lift plunger, 90, but not to move a switch. This winding is marked H. Res. as an abbreviation for high resistance. It will be understood that the terms low resistance and high resistance are used to compare these two windings with each other.

The plunger, 90, of magnet, S, and plunger, 90, of magnet, I, are identical in construction, and I will explain how 90 is made and then it will be unnecessary to go through the explanation for 90.

90, is adapted to slide through a hole in girder, 10, and rises and falls as magnet, S, is energized or deenergized. To 90, is fastened a head, 91, having lugs, 92, see Fig. 2. These lugs straddle slide bar, 5, and when lifted by plunger, 90, engage the pins, 3 or 4, of the bar, 5, as the case may be. Vfhen the plunger, 90, is down the head, 91, rests in the recess in girder, 10, but when it is raised the top of 91, is flush with the bottom of bar, 5. In the same way the plunger, 90, of the magnet. I, is adapted to raise its head, 91, with its lugs, 92, and engage pins, 2 and 1. The magnet, I, is wound with coarse wire and has also low resistance, so proportioned that if it is connected in parallel with a switch motor, the current would be shunted from the motor by the magnet, I, and thus prevent the motor from operating. The winding of magnet, I, is connected to wire 29, of controller. E, by wire, 126, and to bus, B at terminal, 122, by wire, 127.

-At the left of Fig. 1 I have shown a typical drawing of a railway switch, 84, to which is connected a switch moving mechanism, A, adapted to be moved in either direction by the switch motor armature, 68.

This armature rotates in one direction when field winding, 66, is energized and in the opposite direction when field winding, 66 is energized. Above the switch motor is shown a motor cutout switch, K, adapted to remove current from the switch motor by opening the operating circuit when rail switch, 84-, has reached certain predetermined positions, and then closing another circuit which includes the switch motor and the magnet, I, at the proper time. The cutout, K, consists of suitably mounted contacts, 41, 59, 42, 63, 62, 38, 60, 36, and a rod, 80, which carries wipers, 40 and 39, insulated from said rod and adapted to pass between and engage contacts, 62 and 63, and, 38 and 42, and 66 and 59, and 36 and 41, respectively. The rod, 80, is connected to bell crank, 82, which in turn is pivoted to crank stand, 81, and connected by rod, 83, to rail switch, 84. Therefore it is readily seen that movement of 84 will transmit a corresponding movement to cutout, K.

Above the cutout, K, is shown what I call a reverser, E. This consists of a rod, 130, carrying and insulated from the wiper, 46, which is adapted to pass between and engage contacts, 45 and 47, and contacts, and 56. There are also two magnets, M and M. These magnets are adapted to draw the rod, 130, to one side or the other so that wiper, 46, may en age contacts, 55 and 56, or 45 and 47. Magnet, M, consists of two windings, 54 and 53. Vinding, 54, is made of few turns of wire of large cross section having a low resistance, adapted to pass current of sufiicient strength to operate a switch motor and at the same time to hold wiper, 46, into engagement with contacts, 55 and 56. Winding, 53, consists of a greater number of turns of wire than winding, 54, and the wire is of much smaller cross section, resulting in a winding of much greater resistance. The magnet, M, is the counterpart of magnet, 31, the winding, 49, corresponding to the wind ing, 54, and the winding, 50, corresponding to the winding, The function of 1V is to draw the rod, 130, so that wiper, 46, will engage contacts, 45 and 47.

The reverser, It, is connected to the cutout, K, by wires as follows:-contact, 4'7, by wire, 43, to contact, 41; contact, 56, to contact, 63, by wire, 57; contact, 45, by wire, 44, to contact, 42; contact, 55, by wire, 58, to contact, 59. Also the reverser, B, is con nected to switch motor from contact, 56, through low coil, 54, of magnet, M, thence by wire, 121, to field winding, 66, of switch motor, and from contact, 47, through low winding, 49, of magnet, M, to the other field winding, 66, of switch motor by wire, 162. On the reverser, R, high winding, of magnet, M, is connected to contact, 55, by wire, 52, and by wire, 103, to terminal,

104. Also high winding, 50, of M, is connected to contact, 45, by wire, 51, and to terminal, 104, by wire, 102. Terminal, 104, is connected by wire, 101, to terminal, 105.

a Terminal, 105, is connected to bus bar, B,

by wire, 70, at terminal, 122. Also terminal, 105, is connected to switch motor brush, 69, by wire, 100. On the cutout, K, contact, 62, is connected with 60 by wire, 61, and con tact, 38, is connected with 36 by wire, 37. Wire, 35, connects contact, 36, of the cutout, K, to contact, 25, of the interlocking machine controller, C, and contact, 60, of the cutout, K, is connected to contact, 33, of the controller, C, by wire, 34. Also bus bar, B, is connected at terminal, 123, with fuse clip, 73, by wire, 173, and fuse clip, 73, is conneeted by fuse, j", with fuse clip, 74. From fuse clip, 74, a wire, 20, leads to L. Res. winding of magnet, S, and from L. Res. winding a wire, 21, leads to wire, 24, of con troller, C. Also from fuse clip, 73, a wire, 125, leads to H. Res. winding of magnet, S, and from H. Res. winding a wire, 124, leads to fuse clip, 74.

I will now assume that it is desired to set the track switch, 84, to go to the right and then describe how 84 will follow lever, L. The operator pulls lever, L, to the position, L. It will be seen that as he pulls, L, toward, L, the bar, 5, is moved across girder, 10. The dogs, 7 and 6, will engage rods, 8 and 9, and these rods will force the dogs down into the recesses in girder, 10. Since these dogs, 7 and 6, project below bar, 5, when depressed by the rods, 8 and 9, they will engage the edges, 1.1 and 11 of the recesses in girder, 10. This will prevent the lever from passing, L, until released by the current flowing to and from the switch motor. After the lever has assumed the position, L, it will be seen that controller, C, has been moved by the rod, 13, and crank, 14, so that wiper, 16, now engages contacts, 22 and 25, and wiper, 1.7, engages, 30 and 31.

I will now describe the current flow assuming bus bar, B, at av higher potential than bus bar, B. The current flow will be as follows:-From bus bar, B, wire, 173, fuse clip, 73, fuse, f, fuse clip, 74, wire, 20, L. Res. of coil, S, wire, 21, wire, 24, contact, 22, wiper, 16, contact, 25, wire, 35, to contact, 36, of cutout, K. At contact, 36, the current divides, part flowing over wire, 37, to contact, 38, wiper, 40, contact, 42, wire, 44, contact, 45; and part from contact, 36, wiper, 39, contact, 41, wire, 43, contact, 47. From contact, 47, wire, 48, winding, 49, of M, wire, 162, to field winding, 66, thence by wire, 65, to armature brush, 64, to armature, 68, to brush, 69, wire, 100, to terminal, 105, wire, 70, to terminal, 122, of bus bar, 13. This current causes armature, 68, to rotate. Current also flows from contact, 45, of reverser, R, by wire, 51, to winding,

described.

50, of M, to wire, 102, to terminal, 104, wire, 101., to terminal, 105, wire, 7 0, to terminal, 122, of bus bar, B". This current holds wiper, 46, in engagement with 0011- tacts, 45 and 47 The rotation of armature, 68, above referred to, causes worm, 89, to rotate also, and since worm, 89, is engaged with worm wheel, 88, 88 will turn its crank, 86, in such a direction as to exert a pull on rod, 85. This will draw, 84, to the position desired. The movement of 84 will be trans mitted to crank, 82, and by 82 to rod, 80. Rod, 80, will draw the wipers, 40 and 39, to the left. After wiper, 39, disengages contacts, 41 and 36, it engages contacts, 59 and 60, and after wiper, 40, disengages contacts, 38 and 42, it engages 62 and 63. As soon as current flows through the L. Res. of magnet, S, over wire, 35, as above described, its plunger, 90, will lift its head, 91, to a position flush with the bottom of bar, 5. This will push dog, 7, upward so that it disengages the edge, 11, of the left hand recess in girder, 10, but now lug, 92, will engage the pin, 3, and prevent movement of bar, 5, as long as current flows through L. Res. of magnet, S. When contact, 39, of cutout, K, disengages contacts, and 41, current will continue to flow through. contact, 38, to contact, 45, of reverser, R, wiper, 46, contact, 47, to the motor through winding, 49, of the reverser, R, and wire, 162, as above Therefore it will be seen that the motor will be supplied with current until the rod, 80, of cutout, K, moves wiper, 40, out of en agement with contacts, 38 and 42. When wiper, 40, does so disengage contacts, 38 and 42, current will cease flowing over wire, 35, and this will permit the plunger, 90, of magnet, S, to drop taking with it its head, 91, with the lug, 92, out of the path. of pin, 3, of bar, Due to its acquired momentum the armature, 68, will continue to rotate until the wiper, 40, of cutout, K, engages with contacts, 62 and 63. It will now be seen that the armature, 68, is included in a circuit with magnet, I, and winding, 53, of M, and winding, 54, of M, and field winding, 66, of the switch motor. This switch motor will now become a continuous current generator and its armature, 68, will deliver current from armature terminal, 64, through field winding, 66, wire, 121, winding, 54, of M, contact, 56, wire, 57, contact, 63, wiper, 40, contact, 62, wire, 61, to contact, 60. At contact, 60, current will divide, a small part going from contact, 60, through wiper, 39, to contact, 59, wire, 58, contact, 55, wire, 52, winding, 53, of M, wire, 103, terminal, 104, wire, 101, terminal, 105, wire, 100, to other side of armature, 68, at terminal, 69; and the remainder going from contact, 60, over wire, 34, to contact, 33, wire, 32, contact, 31, wiper, 17, contact, 30, wire, 29, wire, 126,

magnet, I, Wire, 127, terminal, 122, wire, 70,

terminal, 105; thence by wire, 100, to terminal, 69, of the other side of the armature, 68. This last described current flow is much greater than the first part, because the magnet, I, is of much lower resistance than the winding, 53, of M. These currents then will cause the following things to happen :Magnet, I, will lift its core, 90, with its head, 91; this will raise dog, 6, up flush with the bottom of bar, 5. The motor armature, 68, will come to rest easily and current will cease flowing. Current flow in magnet, 58, will have caused wiper, 46, to engage contacts, and 56, in readiness for the following movement of lever, L. As soon as armature, 68, ceases to rotate plunger, 90, of magnet, I, will drop, completely releasing bar, 5, and permitting lever, L, to move from L to L. In moving the lever from L back to L, it will be arrested at a point, L, similarly in every respect as it was at L.

It now remains for me to describe the H. Res. winding of magnet, S. As current will flow only when there is a difierence of potential applied to the terminals of a coil or winding and as it may be seen that the terminals of this high resistance winding are shunted by the fuse, f, it will be obvious that current of any appreciable strength will only flow through H. Res. when 7 is removed or blown and a complete circuit exists from terminal, 74;, to bus bar, B. As it has been shown that magnet, S, locks bar, 5, when the lever occupies position, L or L, if fuse, f, should be ruptured due to overload or derangement of circuits, then winding, I-I. Res. would become energized and hold the lever at L or 1/, until the fuse, f, be replaced.

Inasmuch. as it is necessary for me to use my motor as a motor to which I supply power and then as a generator of continuous currents for releasing the lever controlling said motor at predetermined times, it is evident that my motor must be self-exciting. And to do this I use a series wound motor of the commutator type arranged to operate satisfactorily on alternating cur rents, in a manner well known to the art.

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a railway traffic controlling system, the combination of a source of alternating current electric energy; a traflic controlling device; an electric motor adapted to be driven by alternating current and to generate continuous currents when acting as a dynamo; a controller adapted to apply the said energy to the said motor in oruer to cause it to move the traflic controlling device in the manner described and desired; and an indication magnet adapted to be operated by continuous current developed by said motor after the said motor is disconnected from the alternating current source and while still in rotation.

2. In a railway trafic controlling system, the combination of a source of alternating electric current; a traffic controlling device; a single phase commutator type of electric motor; a controller to connect the motor to the said source of energy in order to cause it to move the said device in the direction and manner desired; an indication magnet adapted to be energized by continuous currents developed by said motor after said motor has been operated by said alternating currents and after the alternating currents have ceased and while the armature is still rotating.

In testimony whereof I have ZlfllXQCl my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WADE H. REICHARD.

Witnesses LO'ITIE PRIOR, BEULAH CABLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G 

